What Changed When Food Became the Priority

Chase didn’t ease into it — Nope, he went allll in.

The first books he read leaned heavily plant-based diets, so he committed to a high-plant, low-meat diet and told himself,
“I’m giving this six months to a year, going all in.”

He packed his own food everywhere.

• Skipped meals at parties if there was a risk of contamination.
• Treated food like it actually mattered — because for him, it did.

And something surprising happened.

Within a few months, he started feeling notably better.

Over time, he realized that clean, well-sourced meat actually worked with his body, not against it. (Which is why he and Elara are now at our farmer’s market stand almost every week.)

Today, Chase says this:

“Over the last 5–6 years, I’m completely off my medication.
I only need sunscreen at the beach (not the moment I step outside).
I can handle heat.
I stay up later, have more stress, get less sleep — and I can still do it all.”

Whoa. Amazing!

Chase is careful about more than just food now.

He prioritizes clean ingredients in:

• Food
• Clothing
• Home cleaning products

He’s spent years researching autoimmune disease, and here’s one thing that stuck with him:

When foods damage the gut, the immune system suffers. Things pass into the body that shouldn’t — and that breakdown is at the root of many autoimmune conditions.

His conclusion?

Food isn’t a small thing. — It’s foundational.

Maybe you’re wondering: Is it easy?

Not entirely…

Chase and Elara spend more time and money on food than most people. They shop farmers markets and spend time cooking and freezing seasonal foods.

He knows our society isn’t built around working for food anymore.

But he also says this:

“Maybe the price we’re paying for convenience is higher than we realize.”

Over time, he’s slowly experimented and learned what works for his body.

Including this moment that touched me as a farmer after he had purchased LOTS of chicken from us:

Chase once told me he didn’t think he could eat pork. Then he tried our ground pork — and felt great. A new food on his table!
Now? He and Elara are our biggest bacon and ground pork fans.

Chase’s General Food Guidelines…

(Remember: every person’s body is different — but the principle of clean matters to all of us.)

• Include regeneratively-raised protein in 2-3 meals per day.
• Very few processed foods (a few convenience items for the kids — our snack stick are their go-to!)
• Fats: olive oil, tallow, avocado oil, bacon grease ONLY.
• No dairy; No Soy or Corn (He’s allergic).
• No gluten, until recently… he discovered he can eat einkorn, an ancient grain.
• Eat (and freeze if necessary) local, regeneratively raised produce as much as possible.

Which means this energetic dad of two can finally enjoy a bun with his burger after all…

Most of us don’t have a story as dramatic as Chase’s.

But we all have bodies that need care.

Whether Chase’s food guidelines are the best fit for your body or need to be adjusted, I hope his story encourages you to pay attention… and to see that small efforts can make a real difference.

Because many times, healing - or just feeling better - starts at the table.

Warmly,

Stephanie